First I will mention I have a blue ribbon for a family member who died in the line of duty.
To the question Yes and No.
There are bad cops out there. It's hard to defend the organization without question when you watch a video of one cop not liking running down a black man who could barely run and then the cops puts 6 in his back.
The "militarization" of the police causes images problems. Meaning the firepower and the aggressive nature that is shown. I remember the Flint issues and one cop on the top of a wagon pointed what looked like a sniper rifle at a bunch of new guys. Didn't like the group and was probably a defensive move but was it needed? Especially when there are cameras? Just added to the image of shoot first.
The media is not the problem people claim it is. We are the problem. People like bad news events. I guess it shows them their lives aren't so bad. Good news events are often skipped.
People add to this. Stories and bad experiences feed the bad thoughts. BLM has been a mouth in this area. Some of their complaints and stories are valid. Some are just determined to be the "avenging warrior" and lash out to feel better about their lives. I remember at a protest; they made comments of the police. Mentioned not all were bad and mentioned my cousin. Several started making comments basically saying another racist cop is eliminated. Don't support them that much anymore.
My cousin was color blind when it came to the law and his duties. You broke the law; he was going to get you. He was known to be a good cop. My neighbor is an assistant DA. He mentioned my cousins name to the local SWAT commander and my neighbor said he had a somber face and said he didn't know him and he was one of the good ones.
What to do about it? That's another discussion.
